The Princess and the Dragon Boy
by Winekita
Summary: Fairy Tale AU. One-shot. While on her way to visit a friend in the neighboring kingdom, Princess Calypso is snatched up by a terrible fire-breathing dragon. But, instead of getting eaten as soon as they reach its lair, the princess discovers that it has been harboring a secret… T for good reasons.


**_Sorry for the wait on updates. I wanted to do a V-day story and it mostly took all my attention._**

**_For Valentine's Day, I have decided to do another little AU. I'm full of these lately, aren't I? :3 Also, I want to submit this early since I got it done early and plan on playing Cards Against Humanity on the actual day. That might make me forget, so HERE YOU GO!_**

**_Anyway, this will be a little different, and pretty long (albeit fast-paced), so bear with it. Yes, Calypso is a princess (again, if you've gotten into my Pirate AU lol) but this time Leo is something you wouldn't expect. From that summary, you won't be able to guess, either :D_**

**_Sorry about the pacing. I was on a time-limit to get this done for V-day._**

**_This was going to be just Caleo, but somehow Jasper got in here, too. I like that ship, too, so goodie :)_**

**_Happy Valentine's Day, all!_**

**_Or, if you're like me and prefer to be single, happy S.A.D! :D_**

**_Also, Leo will be slightly OOC. It's mostly because of the situation. Honestly, if Leo didn't have his usual humor, what would he be? What is he underneath? Nothing but a sad and lonely child. Think about that when you read through this._**

_**I own nothing you recognize as canon.**_

* * *

_***~The Princess and the Dragon Boy~***_

_A Caleo Fairy Tale AU_

"You have to at least say _something_ nice about him!"

Princess Calypso, astride her white horse, huffed and stuck her nose in the air. "I suppose he was fairly handsome," she admitted.

Her best handmaiden, a beautiful, tan-skinned young woman with uneven brown hair and ever-changing eyes that switched from blue to green to purple to grey and back, pursed her lips in a pout. "I cannot believe you didn't find that man the least bit attractive," she protested.

Calypso sighed. "He had a wife and child, Piper. I saw the portrait in the corner of the room when we had tea."

Piper rolled her eyes. "Okay. Fine. He was taken. But the council will want you to decide on a man, soon."

"I hardly believe that the council will be thrilled about some inn keeper…"

Princess Calypso was currently the only living heir to her kingdom. Because of her father's recent death, and a rule that no woman may take the throne without a husband, the kingdom's council of leaders were forcing Calypso to find a man to wed by the end of the month. The man didn't have to be of royal blood, it was just a formality. Eventually, the man might make a good king, but Calypso had been trained to be queen, so she would be calling the shots.

But Calypso was very picky. At the moment, she and her escorts of handmaidens and a few knights were travelling across the country to see one of her royal friends, Hazel. At every town they stopped in, Calypso was introduced to a random strange man. The latest had been an inn keeper named Odysseus. Calypso had been kind of attracted to him, but he had a family of his own, so the attraction ended there.

"Well," Piper drawled. "What about some of the others? You might have to just pick from the random men you've seen so far."

"Drake turned out to be a pirate," the princess complained. "And Percy…very cute and strong. But, like Odysseus and Drake, he had a woman to call his own. You have an uncanny ability to match up others with their soul mates, Piper, I'll admit…but your luck, at least concerning me, cannot hold."

Piper smiled. "I know you'll find the perfect match before long. Who knows? Maybe we should try a random farmer. Or a beggar."

"From pauper to prince, hm?" Calypso grinned. "You are so funny. I can't imagine a beggar as a king."

"Just a suggestion," Piper said with a shrug.

"Ladies," said one of the knights, who had trotted up next to Calypso's horse. "We are entering an open field. I would advise her majesty to stay silent until we get back under the cover of the trees."

"Why?" Calypso asked.

Piper gasped. "Are we crossing the dragon's territory?"

The knight nodded. "Yes. To get to Lady Levesque, the quickest way would be through this tiny piece of territory. I want to cross before we lose the light. Most do not travel this way, and of those that do, usually the silent individuals fare better."

Calypso nodded. "Then we shall not talk. You are sure the dragon will not venture past his territory?"

"Your highness," he said, "the dragon has been known to stick to his borders faithfully. Those that live there fare the risk of dragon fire and death, but can survive easier than a guest crossing the border. Once we are on the other side, he should leave us alone until the return journey."

The princess nodded. "Very well. Lead on."

Soon, the royal escort was fully in the open. She silently begged for her gossipy handmaidens to be quiet.

The dragon residing near her kingdom was a fierce and terrible one. He—it had no human tongue, but others had reported it was definitely male—lived inside a dormant volcano, guarding what many believed was a massive hoard bigger than the palace treasury. He was known to be temperamental to trespassers, but tolerated the farms and small villages that dared to exist near the volcano.

In recent years, he'd become extra protective of his territory, especially the volcano. Ten years ago, the dragon had snatched up a child in one of the small villages just outside of his territory. No one knew why, for the village and all its inhabitants had burned to the ground, but everyone assumed the child had been eaten. The rumor was that someone in the village had angered the dragon from afar, which led to the dragon attacking the town.

Ever since then, even going near the border had been nerve-wracking for every traveler. One had to wait until the dragon was sleeping to visit one of the hardened villages within the territory.

Calypso and her escort had made it halfway across the corner before a roar split the air. Her horse reared in alarm and the girls screamed. Knights drew their swords.

In the sky, a bronze dot appeared, soaring straight for them.

Panic ensued. The handmaidens scattered, though Piper tried to stay near Calypso. The knights kicked their steeds into motion, charging the descending dragon. The beast flew low and fast, swooping down and knocking men off their horses easily. His tail struck a knight, which shot him into a tree with pure force.

Calypso's horse bolted before she could climb on. She ordered Piper to run far away, at which her best handmaiden refused.

"Your majesty! Behind you!"

She heard the knight too late. Right as she turned, a huge bronze hand grabbed her and lifted her into the air. Calypso screamed, watching in horror as the beast flew higher and higher. She tore her eyes away from the retreating ground to see that Piper was clutched in the dragon's other hand, also screaming.

Within moments, the women had been flown deep into the dragon's territory. Calypso knew exactly where they were headed—it was kind of hard to miss a huge volcano standing alone on the ever-approaching horizon. Small intact villages and farmlands passed below them. The people below did not regard the dragon, they did not even look up and point, nor did they look too frightened that a thousand pound dragon was soaring over their heads as they went about their business.

By the time they'd reached the volcano, both women had stopped screaming. They held still as the dragon began to descend into the mouth. No lava could be seen as they touched down into the base. He maneuvered both of them into his mouth, carrying them by the collars of their blouses.

_This is it_, Calypso thought. _I am going to die. We'll both be eaten by the terrible dragon of legend and there's nothing to stop him…_

The dragon carried them through a cavern in one of the walls. Soon, it sloped downwards as a tunnel. Piper held Calypso's hand. They were both clearly eager for this thing to get it over and done with.

_What if the legend is wrong? What if this is a female and…she's feeding us to her hatchlings!?_

As Calypso began thinking of even more horrible ways this situation could be worse, the dragon stopped. The princess looked around and blinked.

This cavern was enormous, surrounded by cascading falls of lava on all sides, which cast a beautiful red glow. Where the lava was coming from in this dormant volcano, Calypso had no idea. Diamonds and jewels littered the sides, lining the spaces where the lava disappeared into the floor. In the middle of the cavern sat a huge nest of various animal pelts, feathers, and straw.

But what caught Calypso's attention were the toys.

Children's toys were scattered all around the room. Some were still in good condition. Some were meshed together as a new toy formed from two different toys. A few were things she'd never seen before, but looked appropriate for a child. Nothing was completely broken—in fact, _none_ of the toys were broken. A few were charred or chipped, but none were broken.

The dragon padded over to the nest and set the women down next to it. Calypso felt tiny next to the nest. It was twice her height!

She looked at the dragon, who'd cocked his head and nodded toward the nest.

"Is he forcing us to venture into the nest?" she hissed to Piper.

The other young woman gulped. "I hope to the gods that there aren't any hatchlings in there and that we are walking to our deaths…"

"Glad I wasn't the only one who thought of that."

The dragon nodded to the nest again and snorted, as if impatient. Piper helped boost Calypso up. When she got her balance on top, the princess helped Piper climb up. Once they were both ready, they looked into the nest, expecting to see a brood of baby dragons ready to gobble them up.

Instead, they saw a sleeping young man.

He had curly black hair, a roundish face with an upturned nose and slightly pointed ears. A dirty sheepskin covered him, acting as his blanket. His skin was dark, but more caramel-colored than the reddish brown that Piper had. He was skinny and small of stature, looking no older than Calypso or Piper.

He snored a little, which was kind of cute, but Calypso tried not to think about that.

Piper gently slid into the nest, Calypso following. She looked up at the dragon and asked, "What do you want us to do?"

In response, the dragon crawled into the nest with them. Before either girl could protest, the dragon shifted the three people and curled them against his belly, wrapping his tail around them gently. Calypso ended up softly squished against the boy. He smelled like ash and fire, but much friendlier than the smell would usually dictate.

He shifted and groaned, "Festus…stop moving…"

Suddenly, his skinny arms were around Calypso. She held still, soon realizing his grip was stronger than she thought. He snuggled up to her and hummed sleepily. "Better…"

His speech was terrible and accented, like he barely knew how to talk. Calypso considered the situation; if this young man was living with a dragon, he very well could have lost most of his human speech. If anything, he probably spoke some drakish tongue on a regular basis and switched to human speech subconsciously in his sleep!

Piper whispered, "What do we do?"

Calypso considered the person between them. "I suppose we go to sleep. It is late…if the dragon was going to eat us, he would have done so by now. We'll deal with him and this person tomorrow."

"What about the escort?"

"I'm sure the council will at least send a few knights to see if I'm alive. If we can escape, let's. And we'll take this young man with us if we can."

Piper nodded. "Okay. Good night, your highness."

"Good night, Piper."

The young man yawned. "G'night to you, too, Festus…"

* * *

It actually hadn't taken long for Calypso to fall asleep. The warmth of the young man and the constant beat of the dragon's heart lulled her into slumber easily enough. When she woke up, she was suddenly cold and surrounded by silence.

"Ngh," she groaned, sitting up.

The nest was empty of all life except her. Even Piper was gone! Calypso turned her head and noticed a ladder on the side of the nest. Convenient.

She went up the ladder and peeked over the edge.

Piper was roaming around, examining the toys on the floor of the cave. Near her area, a fire was cooking some sort of stew. The young man crouched near the pot, anxiously waiting with wide eyes. The dirty sheepskin from the night before now served as his shirt, and brown pants covered his skinny legs. He wore no shoes.

He reached up with a hand, smacking his lips in anticipation.

Piper whirled on him. "I said _no_! You'll get breakfast soon!"

The young man pouted.

Calypso giggled. He was like a child. No wonder there are so many toys here.

She heaved herself out of the nest and slid onto the ground safely. The young man watched her, his chocolate brown eyes never leaving her. Calypso smiled at him and waved.

He tilted his head and waved slowly back.

Piper went back to the stew and poured a bit into a bowl. She held it out to Calypso. "Here, your highness," she offered. "I held him back a long time so you could have breakfast first."

Calypso took the bowl and sniffed at it. "What is it?"

"Lamb stew," said the handmaiden. "Unfortunately that's all I could work with. The dragon left as I woke up, came back with a dead sheep, and left again."

Calypso grimaced, but ate the stew. Then, she smiled. "Well, I can't argue that it's delicious. I just hope we'll have more to work with."

Piper gave the young man a bowl. He didn't even take a spoon—he guzzled down the stew quickly and messily. Calypso rolled her eyes at how messy his face was now. She pulled out a handkerchief and crouched down next to him.

He shied away at first, so Calypso tried her sweetest smile.

"It's okay," Piper said softly, as if she were speaking to a young boy. "She just wants to clean your face. You're filthy."

The young man's gaze darted from her to the handkerchief. He looked a little nervous, so Calypso brushed her face with the kerchief once. When she appeared unharmed, he visibly relaxed and allowed her to wipe off the stew's remains.

Getting a closer look at him, Calypso realized he was very handsome in a cute-boyish sort of way. He didn't look older than eighteen. He smiled at her, which reminded her of an imp, but his smile didn't make her nervous like it probably should.

Calypso cleared her throat and said, "My name is Calypso. What's yours?"

The young man looked a little perplexed and tilted his head.

Calypso smiled. "I know you know a little human speech. You used it last night. I just want to know your name."

He backed away on all fours, looking nervous now.

"Did I say something wrong?" she asked.

He darted off to a corner near the lava, undisturbed by the searing heat. Piper shook her head. "I tried that, too, Calypso. I don't know what's wrong. He only came back over when I started cooking, so I tried to give him instructions. He understood those just fine, but when I asked him for his name or what he was doing here, he got nervous and hid."

Calypso huffed. "I'm not going to randomly shout, 'hey you, dragon boy' every time I would like to speak with him."

She marched off into the corner where he sat. The young man gazed at her with wide eyes, fearful, yet curious. The princess put her hands on her hips.

"I'm not asking for a full background story," she said in her best 'motherly' tone. "I just want to know your name. Do you understand? Your _name_! My name is Calypso. Now you tell me yours."

The young man cowered a bit. He scuffled the ground with one of his hands, looking unsure.

Calypso softened her gaze a little. "Just your name for now, yes? Just your name. It's not that bad to give away your name."

The young man met her eyes. Finally, he opened his mouth and rasped out, "Leo."

Then, he blushed and ran off again, going into another corner.

Calypso sighed. "Leo…well, that's better than 'dragon boy'."

Piper walked up to her and smiled. "I suppose he's just shy. He liked me well enough, so maybe it'll take him a bit to get used to you."

"I only asked for his name!"

"And you got it. Just be patient, your highness," she advised. "He's been alone for who knows how long…we're probably the first people he's met in ages. He obviously doesn't know how to handle us yet."

"He didn't mind you ordering him around."

"I tried to act like a sister. He responded well enough to that, but I still didn't get a name. I think he likes you more."

"Even though he ran away," Calypso complained.

Piper smiled. "But I can see he still likes you. Look." She pointed to Leo, who was crouched behind a stalagmite and peeking at them. "I bet you anything he's looking at you."

Calypso crossed her arms. "That is the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard! You're trying to set me up with a homeless young adult who barely talks! Who would see him as a king, much less a suitable husband?"

"I didn't say any of that," Piper said slyly.

* * *

A shining knight clad in gold halted his steed, Tempest, in the middle of a clearing. "What happened here?"

A few maidens and wounded knights lay in a tight circle around a fire. The maidens looked frightened, and the able knights rose unsteadily, drawing their swords.

"Yield," the golden knight called, dismounting. "I mean you no harm." He removed his helmet, revealing bright blue eyes and sun-kissed hair. "The name is Sir Jason. I'll ask again: what happened here?"

One of the nights sheathed his swords. He had an arm in a sling. "A dragon attacked our group yesterday. It took Princess Calypso and her chief handmaiden and killed three of my men. The women are all unharmed.

Jason's eyebrows shot up. "A dragon? Surely not the cranky bronze codger that lives in the volcano?"

One of the women nodded. "That's the one."

"That is the dragon named Festus," Jason explained. "I am a free-roaming knight that travels the dragon's territory. Festus usually doesn't do much harm excepting to those who wish to slay him or go near the volcano in which he resides. If we cross paths, I do not engage in combat. Festus is respected here, and randomly picking fights is unwise and unchivalrous, regardless of the opponent's species."

The lead knight nodded. "We understand, but…would it be too much trouble to investigate this? If you are not willing to slay the beast, please try and rescue our princess! The kingdom needs her!"

Jason smiled in understanding. "Of course. I haven't a clue to why Festus has taken your princess, but I will make sure to come back with her, dead or (hopefully) alive. You said she was taken with another woman?"

"Yes, but the princess is more important."

"As you wish, but should there be another woman there, I will rescue her as well."

"Very well."

Jason mounted his steed. "You should all get going. Festus shouldn't attack you again, but robbers and thieves could take advantage of you soon. Head to the next town quickly and stay there. I'll try and meet with you soon."

He kicked Tempest and shot off into the morning, straight for the distant volcano.

* * *

The dragon came back a few hours after breakfast. He went straight up to Leo and nuzzled the young man. Leo smiled as the great snout rubbed against his cheek, tongue flicking out occasionally to wash the filth off of his face.

Calypso watched as the dragon uncoiled his tail, revealing a broken child's toy. Leo beamed and howled in delight. The human snatched up the toy and retreated to a table in one corner of the room.

"He's quite the tinkerer," Piper muttered. "He must have fixed all these toys."

Calypso nodded. "But why? Why is he here?"

The dragon swiveled his head in the women's direction. He stared at Calypso with intense ruby eyes. The princess felt so small in his gaze, so insignificant.

Leo looked up when the dragon growled. He yelped something in drakish. When the dragon didn't respond, Leo stood up from his table of gizmos and walked over. He began tapping in a pattern on the dragon's leg.

The dragon finally looked at the young man. His gaze softened and he nuzzled Leo again, herding him back to the table with the toy. Leo grinned proudly and went back to his toy.

The dragon nodded, yawned, and padded over to the nest. He turned in a circle once before settling down for a nap.

Piper led Calypso over to Leo's table. The young man glanced in their direction, but otherwise kept his attention on the toy he was fixing. Upon closer inspection, Calypso saw it to be a busted rocking horse. Leo was adding wings to the tiny rocker; they were beautiful red and yellow wings that looked delicate. When added to the horse, it was like they had always belonged there.

"Did you carve those yourself?" Piper asked gently.

Leo nodded.

_How can he understand us and not speak with his gods-given tongue?_ Calypso wondered.

"It's very pretty," she said.

Leo blushed and shied away from her, but his chest puffed a little. He'd liked the compliment.

Calypso smiled and tried not to look intimidating. "Did you fix every toy here?"

Leo looked up at her with wide eyes, then dropped his gaze within seconds. He continued to tinker with the horse.

"Please talk with me," Calypso tried. "Are you frightened of me? I promise I'm not bad."

Leo looked nervous. "Not…" he rasped. He coughed and tried again. "Not…afraid. Leo…"

He blushed and dropped the toy, scuttling out of the area. He hopped into the nest with unbelievable agility and disappeared inside.

Piper nudged her with an elbow. "Oh, yes. He definitely likes you. You got two new words out of him! Congrats! There'll be a husband for you yet!"

Calypso smacked her arm. "You're awful. I couldn't possibly like him!"

"Why not?"

"Look at him! He's scrawny, childish, unsociable…"

Piper smiled. "The exact opposite of all the men you turn down. I bet you he doesn't have a girl of his own, either," she prompted.

Calypso glared at her. "Are you actually being serious about this?"

"Nah." The handmaiden shrugged. "I'm just teasing you, your highness. Got to pass the time somehow. But you have to admit Leo is kind of cute."

"Like a little child, maybe."

"Of course. He's like the brother I never had, only less annoying."

Calypso smirked. "That's how it starts. By the time we escape, he'll bother you like any other brother."

"No he wouldn't."

"I bet he will. Did you notice how impishly he smiles? No man—solitary or sociable—can have that sort of natural smile and not be a trickster from time to time."

Piper glanced nervously back at the nest. Leo's head popped up in curiosity, his brown eyes big and shining.

The handmaiden picked up the toy horse and examined it. "It's still a cute toy," she remarked.

Calypso nodded. "Yes, it is. He'd be quite the toymaker or blacksmith in our kingdom. I wish he'd finish fixing the toy, though. I'd love to see the finished product."

Suddenly, the horse's head looked up in a jerky movement. Piper looked back with wide eyes, then yelped as the horse sprayed ash into her face. She dropped the horse back on the table and began trying to wipe the ash off.

Calypso looked at the nest. Leo was laughing. It was pure, yet filled with mischief. "I do believe he already thinks you're his big sister," she noted.

Piper squinted at the young man. "I'll kill him…"

* * *

Within days of setting out, Jason came upon the sorry remains of a village long since gone. Buildings with only skeletons remaining stood tall in some areas, in others, only a single floor could be seen. People's skeletons littered the streets. Some were buried in ash, as if they had been there for days and not years. Being so close to the volcano and the dragon's fire, natural growth could not save this scarred land. It was doomed to the ugly demise that lay before the knight.

Jason was exploring this desolate place to investigate the dragon's temper. Ten years ago, it had struck without warning, burned the village, and eaten a child-this was the only time ever that the dragon had been recorded of eating any human. If the dragon had lost its temper again, would it randomly kidnap a princess? Would he eat her quickly, or was there some ulterior motive? Perhaps someone was recently able to control the beast. There were too many possibilities for the present that hurt Jason's head, so he decided to dig into the past.

He came past a familiar setting: The forge of the town.

The blacksmith's forge was still black and decayed. It was the most fire resistant, but dragon's fire still did its damage. The dragon's claws had also caused its downfall, as half the building was collapsed and scoured with claw marks. This was the scene in which the dragon had eaten the child in front of his mother, leaving her to die.

Jason went inside the remains, gently swiping a hand over the abandoned weapons and tools. A woman's skeleton lay nearby, under a beam. Jason felt pity for this woman; burned to death, and probably having to watch as her child, her _only son_, was gobbled up by a ferocious bronze dragon...

"Good knight," a voice called.

Jason whirled around to see an older man. He had an unclean beard and wore very beggarish sort of clothes. He limped, relying heavily on a sturdy cane.

"I do not give charity," Jason said.

"I do not want your charity," the man said flatly. "But I would appreciate it if you stepped away from her."

Jason moved away, walking stiffly toward the beggar. "What is this scene to you?"

The man regarded him. "Ten years ago it was my home," he said.

"You lived here?" Jason exclaimed. "How did you survived the dragon's wrath?"

"By not being present. I was delivering supplies to towns further out. Wrote letters to my wife constantly. Came back and found my home in ruins, with my wife dead and my son missing."

Jason flinched. "You surely must have heard the rumors of how it happened?"

He nodded. "I'd heard the town enraged the dragon somehow. Festus got mad, torched the place, and supposedly _ate_ my son."

"Supposedly," Jason repeated. "You don't think your son was eaten?"

"Festus was, no _is_ a kind dragon. I used to make him some special trinkets and things to add to his hoard. He liked my family, too, my son especially. Whatever reason caused the dragon to lose his mind, I don't think he'd be mad enough to eat my boy."

"Do you happen to know what he might have done with the child?"

The man shrugged. "If he was of sound mind, maybe Festus would've take him to a safe place. I've been searchin' ten years and never found him. The only place I haven't looked has been the dragon's lair, but I can't get up there. I've only ever been able to get to the base of the volcano. My legs don't hold up in rocky environments."

"Of course," Jason conceded. "Another question; Do you believe Festus would take prisoners?"

"Can't say for sure," the beggar answered. "I wouldn't take him as a human-taker...but then again, I wouldn't take him for a human-eater. While I got you here, knight, I was wondering..."

"You want me to go up and investigate the dragon's lair?" Jason guessed.

"Been eatin' at me for years," the man confessed. "I want to know what happened to my son, but I can't make the trip up to the lair. If you see any sign of him, living or dead, can you come back and tell me?"

Jason nodded. "Of course. I was heading there, anyway, to investigate the kidnapping of a princess."

The man whistled. "Busy day. I won't keep you any longer."

He began limping away into the burned down forge. Jason turned to look at him.

"You still live here?" the knight guessed.

"It's my home. No one comes here to collect any taxes or whatnot, and I manage to survive easily enough. I couldn't lift the beam off my wife before and I certainly can't do it now, so here I stay. I'm waiting for the day I can join her, and hopefully that'll be after I see my son again."

"I'll leave you to it, then," Jason said. "I bid you farewell, sir...What is your name? And your son's name?"

The man gave him a toothy grin. "The name's Hephaestus. My boy's name is Leo."

* * *

Had days passed? Weeks? Calypso couldn't tell in this sorry cave. Where was the rescue party? Not one knight came to investigate? Or perhaps the dragon had devoured them one-by-one when it left the cave?

It wasn't boring inside the lair of the dragon, but the princess desperately wanted to get out. At least they had various things to do...

Piper had found a smaller passage that ran into an underground stream when they first arrived. She had brought Calypso with her so they could wash up.

Obviously, Leo had followed, being the curious little imp that he was. Piper warned him to stay away, but he didn't heed her yelling. When they started stripping, Calypso threw a rock at the young man and told him to not look. Leo blushed and hid.

Leo had opened up more since first pranking Piper. He got close to her and smiled with her, letting her wash him from time to time. But Calypso sensed that Leo thought she was a sibling, like a fellow hatchling in the dragon's nest.

But towards Calypso...Leo shut down. He got nervous around her, avoided her gaze, tried to behave. But, he'd been nice, too. He'd fashioned a little wooden rose and painted it with delicate colors Calypso didn't even know existed (maybe it was the glow of the cavern). Calypso had accepted the gift, surprised at how he blushed and scuffled his feet at her compliments.

Calypso supposed Leo was rather cute...in his own way. He was still an annoying, scrawny, exhausting, imp-faced, hyper, childlike young man, but the princess, against her better judgment, felt more attracted to him than she had with the other men she'd met.

It was ridiculous how right Piper was sometimes. Calypso didn't want to blush every time Leo did something nice for her. She didn't want to relish in the nightly warmth he provided. She didn't want to admit that, though she'd only heard it a few times, she desperately loved Leo's voice.

At the moment, Calypso was examining one of the repaired toys while sitting on the edge of the nest. It was a lovely doll that had delicate frills and stunning makeup.

_He seems so rough_, she thought, _yet he makes such delicate things…what a guy._

"Ca…ly…"

Calypso looked up. Piper had taken a stick and drawn out some words to teach Leo. She doubted he could write, so this helped pass the time. Calypso wanted to try some speech exercises later with him.

Currently, Leo was trying to write something out in the dirt. His tongue was sticking out in concentration. As he stroked the stick through the ground, he tried to sound out the syllables.

"Ca," he said. "Ca…ly…p…so!"

Piper looked astonished. Calypso tilted her head as she neared the two. Piper whispered, "I asked him to spell out his name. Easy enough, right? And what's he do? He goes and spells yours!"

"Honestly, I didn't think he even knew my name," Calypso joked. "He never says it."

They giggled. Leo looked up and cocked his head. "What is…funny?" he said.

Piper smiled at him. "You."

Leo scrunched his nose. "No."

Calypso giggled again, mostly because he was acting so cutely. She wouldn't admit that, though. Especially in front of Piper.

Leo stood up and grinned suddenly. He pointed behind the girls and shouted, "Festus!"

They turned as one and saw their bronze dragon captor pad into the cave, a dead deer in his jaws. Calypso assumed he must eat outside, because he never ate with the humans. Another surprise was that curled in his tail was a huge basket of fruits. Piper flocked to that immediately, ready to sort out the good from the bad and store some for later in the colder river cavern.

Festus dropped the deer near the lavafalls to cook for a bit, Leo eyeing them hungrily. He whined something in drakish, but Festus snorted, stalking back to the nest for a nap.

Leo deflated a little, then skittered over to his table and started carving something out of wood. Calypso followed, eventually ending up behind the young man.

He was carving out a wooden woman with curly hair and delicate features. The face he was smoothing out sort of looked like…

Leo mumbled something. Calypso bent down and asked softly, "What'd you say?"

He looked sad as he gazed at the woman. "…I remember…her."

He hugged the woman statue fondly, a tear sliding down his cheek. Calypso wiped it away for him. He flinched a little at the touch.

"Don't cry," she urged. "Who was she?"

Leo looked at the princess with the saddest eyes Calypso had ever seen. "Mama…" he rasped.

_His mother…the poor guy._ "Do you remember what happened to her?" she asked gently.

"Fire," he said. "And…Festus…Mama…" He clutched his head and began to cry. "I…I miss…my Mama…wanna go home…"

That was when it hit her. This young man was the child Festus had abducted ten years ago! He had raised Leo, not eaten him!

_But why? Why would the dragon kill his town—his family—and then turn around and save this one boy?_

Calypso decided not to dwell on it for the moment. She embraced him. "Shh," she comforted. "It'll be okay. I'm here for you."

"Don't…leave…"

"I won't."

He looked up at her, his gaze hopeful, yet sad. "Promise?"

She smiled at him. "I promise I'll stay with you."

* * *

The journey up the volcano wasn't as arduous as Jason expected. After so long roaming the countryside with the volcano in view most of the time, he'd thought it would be a difficult trek. Not once did he regret leaving Tempest at the base. Turns out, Festus didn't much care for natural security.

Then Jason reached the top and frowned.

He saw the entrance to the lair easily enough. But it was at the _base_ on the _inside_. The drop from the top was a lot steeper inside than out.

"Now I see why there wasn't much of an outer defense," Jason mused. "Even from here I can see the entranceway, but that's a _steep_ drop. And even if I sneak out with the princess…how will we get out?"

He mulled it over a lot. Finally, he found a good area that had many footfalls and ledges. He began his descent carefully, still thinking on how he would get the women up here.

_Maybe Festus can be reasoned with_, he thought. _Or perhaps the princess will be willing to do a little manual labor just this once? She's not a prissy girl, I hope?_

It took about an hour, but he finally hopped down, landing on the hardened lava shell. Without even pausing to think, Jason went into the lair. He didn't think it would be a tunnel, but after spending a long time walking, he was now beginning to understand _why_ no one could reach his lair. Thieves would probably give up after taking so long trying to _get_ to it!

A light came into view and Jason hurried, wincing as his metal armor clanked and echoed in the passageway. He paused inside the entranceway and peered inside the red-lit room.

Glancing around, the only thing that caught Jason's attention was the huge bronze dragon. It was currently sleeping inside a large nest.

Jason didn't see any women, but all the toys, the table, and the cooked food suggested humans lived here.

He walked forward, heard something crash around, and froze. He cursed himself, noticing a few toys rolling away from his foot.

He glanced up at Festus, scared the dragon heard the commotion and would attack.

The dragon in the nest shifted, but his did not raise his head. Jason let out a small sigh of relief and tiptoed further into the cavern. He tried to watch his footing, nervous that another toy would trip him up.

A woman's squeal echoed from a smaller cavern nearby. Jason hurried quietly to the passage. Softly padding through the dark, the knight held out his hand to judge the wall distances. Eventually he came into a dimly lit underground river cavern.

Jason nearly had a nosebleed and hid behind a boulder.

In the river were a couple of young women (only wearing undergarments). One was beautiful and pale, the other was darker in complexion (and far more gorgeous to Jason, but that was beside the point). They were splashing around, trying to get at each other. A young lad splashed nearby, skittering out of their splash zones while simultaneously trying to catch a fish.

Jason cocked an eyebrow. The women were very beautiful and delicate-looking, like they did not belong here, but the lad...he looked wild, like his home was actually the cave.

The young man dove under the water for a moment. He resurfaced near the paler maiden and began to splash around.

"Leo!" she squealed.

Jason blinked. _Leo_, he thought. _That's the name of Hephaestus's child! He's alive!_

Leo grinned impishly and dove again, this time resurfacing behind the other woman with a fish in his mouth. The maiden screeched in alarm and fell into the water on her butt.

Leo snickered, the fish still drooping in his mouth.

The pale maiden waded over and slapped the fish from his mouth. The darker woman wagged a finger at him.

"We told you not to eat raw fish," she scolded.

The pale one nodded, crossing her arms.

Leo deflated a little. The darker woman smirked and pounced, dunking Leo's head under the water.

Leo thrashed as she squealed, "How's it feel? Huh? Big Sister always wins!"

_Big Sister?_ Jason stroked his chin. _They look nothing alike!_

Jason decided that he needed to show himself. He placed a hand over his closed eyes and strolled out from behind the boulder.

"Ladies," he called. "I mean no harm!"

He heard the women squeal, some water splash around, a startled cry (probably from Leo) and some fumbling. Jason said, "Until you deem it appropriate, I will not look."

After a few minutes, the cavern fell silent. Finally, one of the women said, "You may look, fair knight."

Jason removed his hand and opened his eyes. The two ladies were standing around ten feet away, fully dressed, looking miffed and embarrassed, but calm. The lad had disappeared, which worried Jason.

"Where is your companion?" he asked. "The wild one."

"He does not take well to strangers," said the pale maiden.

"I mean no harm," Jason promised. "I was sent here for two different missions. To investigate the disappearance of the boy from ten years ago, and to rescue a princess and her chief handmaiden from the dragon. I'm assuming you must be said ladies."

They nodded. The pale maiden said, "I am Princess Calypso. This is Piper."

Piper waved. Jason fought the urge to blush and bowed to both of them. "I am Sir Jason, a free-roaming knight that travels the dragon's territory."

"And how did you come to know of our predicament?" Calypso asked.

"I ran across your escorts and volunteered to recue you," he explained. "No reward necessary, your majesty. I'm doing this because it is my duty as a knight."

Piper's eyes kept changing color as she smiled at him. It distracted him greatly, but he tried his best to not meet them.

"I heard you scream the name Leo," he said. "That is the wild one's name?"

"Yes," Calypso said.

"Then it appears my second mission is also a success. Leo is the name of the child whose disappearance I was investigating."

Calypso looked sad. "I had suspected he was the supposedly eaten child. He doesn't really remember what happened and seems to be a bit scarred from it."

"Can he speak?"

"A little," Piper answered. "But he's been with Festus so long that he knows more drakish than human speech."

"That would explain why he's a bit wild," Jason noted.

Suddenly, Leo's head popped out from behind Piper. He looked frightened and curious at the same time, much like a child meeting a new thing.

"Safe?" he rasped.

Piper ruffled his curly black hair. "He's a good man, Leo. A knight."

"Knight...?"

She smiled. "He'll help us leave."

Leo blinked, backing up a bit. "Leave...Festus?"

Calypso looked a little conflicted. She stepped toward the wild young man. "It's for the best, Leo. I know you like Festus, but he's keeping you here. You said you miss your mother? The outside world? We can go there. We'll go out and see what happened!"

Leo shook his head. "Can't go," he whined. "Stay."

He bolted, running with inhuman speed past Jason, who didn't even register the escape until it already happened. Piper and Calypso followed hastily, with Jason at their heels.

They all followed Leo to the larger cave. He immediately vaulted into the nest and buried himself under Festus's wing. Said dragon stirred and examined under his wing for a moment. Jason heard a tiny voice screeching in drakish, followed by Festus snorting.

The dragon focused on the trio of humans and snarled. Jason drew his sword.

"I do not wish to fight you, great Festus," he called. "But you have done wrong, stealing away the princess Calypso and her servant, as well as kidnapping a child!"

Festus roared and stepped out of the nest. Leo did not emerge. As Festus abandoned the nest, Calypso ran for it quickly. She hopped inside before Festus noticed her.

Piper stood beside Jason. "You plan to fight him?" she whispered.

"I don't want to," Jason said. "But this old dragon cannot be permitted to do more wrong. I must rescue you and the princess, as well as Leo. If I have to slay the dragon, so be it."

He bellowed a battle cry and charged forward. The dragon hissed and swiped his tail at the knight. As Jason dodged, fire came raining down. Jason hid under a sturdy table in the room, then charged again once the fire died down.

Festus roared, trying to land a blow with his big claws. Jason had his sword block, then sprinted under the dragon. When he tried to strike the beast's belly, the sword bounced off harmlessly; Festus's hide was old and tough. No blade could ever hope to pierce it. He cursed and kept running under the dragon, hoping he could get a good shot at the tail.

As he ran out under the tail, before Jason could react fast enough, the dragon bucked, kicking him far. He crashed against a wall and passed out.

* * *

Calypso carefully shuffled forward. Leo was crouched at the far end of the nest, crying.

"Leo," she tried. "I won't hurt you. You know I won't."

The young man shook his head. "Go away," he groaned.

Calypso got closer. Leo put his face in his hands and sobbed. When she got within reach, Calypso placed a hand over his shoulder. He stiffened when she pulled him into a hug.

"Y-You..." he sobbed. "You promised..."

"I never said I would leave without you," she said softly. "I promised I would stay by your side, and I will." She rubbed his back gently. "I just can't stay _here_ forever. And neither can you."

She released the hug and cupped his face in her hands. She tried not to think of how handsome he was, even when sad. "Leo," she whispered. "This is no place for humans. I know Festus means well, but...you aren't a dragon. You are human, Leo. More than that, you're a _man_. You belong with us...with _me_.

"I know you barely understand me," she continued. "But you need to believe me. You said you missed your mother. She's human, Leo, just like you. So was your father, I bet. Remember."

She hugged him again, and this time he hugged back. "I..." he tried. "I...was a..."

Calypso rubbed his back. "It's okay. I can help you. I promise I can. But...I won't stay in the cave. I have to go, Leo. Please come with me."

Leo broke the hug and stared at her with wide brown eyes. After what felt like hours had passed, he finally nodded. "Okay...I...I will go...home."

A large shadow fell onto the couple. Calypso looked up and saw Festus glaring at her with narrowed ruby eyes.

"Leo wants to leave," she said. "He doesn't belong here. You should know that."

The dragon hissed.

Leo raised his head and spat something in drakish. Festus paused, then growled back. Leo kept saying things Calypso couldn't understand.

After a while, Festus lowered his head and looked Calypso in the eye. Leo held her hand and smiled. "Festus wants...to share."

"Share?" Calypso had no idea what that meant. "Share you?"

Leo tapped his head with a finger. "Memories."

Calypso blinked and looked at the bronze dragon curiously. "What memories?"

When their eyes met, Calypso was thrown into a deep red world. It was like she was standing inside lava, with nothing but red surrounding her. She heard a deep, old voice bellow in her head: _My own._

"Festus?" she called.

_Yes. I rarely do this, but I feel I must show you a bit of my past._

"You _do_ know human speech," she remarked.

_Only when heard and in my head. My mouth cannot translate fast enough, sadly, so I can only speak my native drakish tongue._

"How did you teach Leo?"

_Believe it or not, he's not that good at drakish, either. He's got a heavy accent, and he speaks it through his nose._

"He sounds good to me."

_I suppose he's better at it than human tongue. But enough about that. On to this matter._

"Right," Calypso muttered. "Sorry."

_It's fine. But...allow me to explain how Leo came into my possession._

The red world evaporated. Calypso was standing on a cliff face, dangerously close to Festus and the edge. Festus didn't heed her. The sun glittered off of his bronze scales. It was so bright outside that Calypso had to squint.

_Please understand,_ Festus said in her head. _I was no threat to the village near my volcano. I enjoyed their company, especially the blacksmith and his family._

Calypso saw that they were overseeing a village. It was thriving, with people running around everywhere, horses pulling carriages down the streets, children playing near a school...

Her vision focused more onto the village's forge shop.

A burly man with a smoking beard was at work, hammering away at a sword on an anvil.

_Hephaestus was, by far, my favorite human to interact with. He sometimes made me special little trinkets and knick-knacks. My greed is not as large as others of my species, but I appreciate the gifts nonetheless._

_His wife was a beautiful woman, always willing to help out in his shop. I think her creations could best his if she had tried._

As if summoned, a beautiful, caramel-color skinned woman came into view, holding out a plate of sandwiches. Hephaestus took one and wolfed it down. The woman rolled her eyes.

A boy came out of nowhere, running up to hug his father. Hephaestus ruffled the boy's curly black hair. He grinned impishly.

"Is that Leo?" Calypso asked.

_Yes, it is. I liked Leo. He had a good spirit, and he would have made a great blacksmith like his father. He had a happy life as a child._

The scene changed. Now it was pitch black, and Festus was resting on top of the volcano. Within the blackness on the horizon, Calypso saw a troupe of bandits rushing towards the village with lit torches. When they reached the first building, to Calypso's horror, they set it ablaze.

"It wasn't you?"

_No. The bandits were going for my hoard. The village was in their way. They planned to blame the fire on me and have many knights come to slay me, then they would claim my treasure. They did not think I was watching that night._

Calypso saw Festus spread his wings and roar in outrage. He flew off into the night as the village became consumed in flames.

Her vision tunneled and soon Calypso was watching young Leo, covered in soot, running hard down the street. A couple bandits were gaining on horseback.

_They wanted no survivors to tell the tale of bandits...Not even children._

One of the bandits threw something. It was a large, blunt object. Calypso had no idea what it was, but it sailed through the air and hit little Leo.

The boy's yelp only lasted a bit before he crumpled to the ground. Calypso gasped, wishing she could defend the poor child. Blood began to pool around his head. The bandits caught up to him. One of them brandished a hatchet and dismounted.

"Almost feel sorry for the kid," he grumbled.

A shriek split the air and the man with the hatchet disappeared as he was swallowed whole. Festus swooped through the air and came back down again to eat the startled bandits. Calypso averted her eyes as Festus chewed the leader of the small group.

He padded over to Leo's fallen form and nudged it with his snout.

_You've no idea how angry I was when I saw those thieves wishing to hurt Leo. I thought the boy had died, but as luck would have it, he was just unconscious._

As if to prove this, young Leo stirred. He opened his eyes, but they were clouded and unfocused. Within seconds, the boy groaned and passed out again.

Festus gingerly cradled the child with his tail and trotted through the fiery wasteland that was once a prospering village.

Every time he came upon a bandit, Festus gobbled them up or killed them with fire. Leo didn't wake up again, but Festus made sure to check if he was still alive every few minutes.

_I suppose at least one of the bandits got away and spread the lie of a dragon burning the village,_ Festus's voice growled. _If Leo hadn't been hurt, I would have scoured the surrounding area for every last bandit. But I had to see if Hephaestus's wife was okay._

_You see, Hephaestus himself had been away on business, leaving his wife and son to tend to the forge._

"What happened to Leo's mother?" Calypso asked.

The scene fast-forwarded to Festus trying to save the beautiful woman from before. She was being crushed by a beam. Festus reached down through the burning forge building, but his weight as he leaned on the roof proved too much. Fire rained down and the ceiling collapsed.

The woman grimaced. "Leave, Festus!" she urged. "Take my son and go! Wait for my husband! Go!"

Festus whined as he tried to claw through the debris, but it only made it worse. Soon, the woman was buried beyond the dragon's reach. Festus howled into the air in despair.

_I had no choice but to leave. I could help Leo recover inside my lair, so that is where I took him. I obeyed Esperanza's final wish and took him with me to wait for Hephaestus to reclaim his son._

"But he never came?"

_No. I waited for him to call for me and ask for Leo, but he never did. I've seen him roam around, but he never called for Leo to be returned. So, I took him in. I raised him. His injury had taken much of his memory away, but deep down, I'm sure he remembered at least his family. I know he'd have recognized his mother if shown a portrait._

Scenes flashed by her now. There was one of Leo waking up with bandages around his head. There was one of Festus teaching Leo drakish. One of Leo fixing the toys under Festus's supervision. One of Festus licking him clean. Leo grew up before Calypso's eyes, and with each passing scene, his human days seemed to fade away. He seemed so happy and content to stay with Festus inside the cave.

_A few weeks before I took you and Piper, I realized Leo was lonely._

One last scene of Leo appeared. He looked just as he did now, with a dirty sheepskin shirt and tattered brown pants. He seemed sad, gazing at a doll with longing eyes.

Festus padded up to the lad and nuzzled him.

"I'm fine," he said. Calypso didn't know if that was human tongue or drakish.

Festus nudged him, but Leo didn't look at him. He just kept staring at the doll, running his long, nimble fingers through the doll's long hair, and brushing his palm down her dress.

Calypso recognized his heartache. The young man was reaching adulthood and he'd never interacted with another human being after the incident. Judging by the way he'd reacted to the girls, he didn't remember much about them. He must have been feeling confused and conflicted.

_I knew he would soon ask me to take him out. I wanted to get him used to the idea of other humans. I wanted him to have a companion. That was when your group trespassed at the edge of my territory. I figured the most beautiful of the women would work for Leo, and I took Piper just in case you and Leo didn't work out._

"You mean to tell me you were trying to set Leo and myself up?" Calypso yelled in disbelief. "Even a dragon was trying to push a husband on me!"

Festus's voice boomed with laughter. _Matchmaking isn't my strong suit, I'll admit. But, tell me honestly; do you truly not feel anything for Leo? Did I do this—take you into my cave and let you live here and keep you fed—all to find out it was a waste of time?_

Calypso hesitated, then said, "Truthfully…truthfully I do like Leo. It's so fast though…"

_Yet you were willing to take him away just like that._

"Yes," she admitted. "Yes I was. I actually plan to marry him. I need a husband to actually run the kingdom. No woman is allowed to sit on the throne unmarried. A widower, sure, but not an unmarried queen. If you'll permit it, I want Leo by my side when I rule."

_He is not fit to lead a kingdom,_ Festus protested.

"It is a formality," she said. "Leo doesn't have to rule—at least not right away. I'll teach him how to behave like he should. I'll be patient with him. I promised to stay by his side, and I will."

_And this is not love to you?_

Calypso giggled. "Perhaps it is. I like him. And in time, perhaps I will love him more."

Suddenly, she was thrown back into the present. Leo was sitting next to her, his head tilted curiously. Festus was still looking at her, but his gaze was steady and soft.

Calypso took Leo's hand and smiled. "Festus gives his permission," she told him. "He wants you to come with me."

Leo's eyes widened. He looked at the bronze dragon and said something in drakish. Festus nodded and growled something.

Leo looked at Calypso. "He wants to know…if there is…a…place at the…castle? What is…a castle?"

Calypso grinned. "A castle is what I live in. It'll be where you'll live, too. With me."

Festus grunted something soft, and Calypso could feel a suggestion in his throat. Leo's eyes widened and he blushed.

He looked at Calypso with a sheepish expression. "…marry?"

Calypso laughed and hugged him. "Yes. I promised not to leave you, didn't I?"

She kissed him on the cheek and his blush deepened.

* * *

Within two weeks, Princess Calypso and Leo had wed. After a tearful reunion between Leo and Hephaestus, Calypso, Leo, and Hephaestus all rode on Festus to the castle to prepare for the wedding and to start helping Leo back into humanity. Jason and Piper rode from the volcano to the town beyond the border to tell the ambushed group of the outcome.

Mere moments before she had to walk down the aisle, Calypso felt right about what she was doing. She'd had two weeks to regret her decision to marry a boy raised by a dragon. She couldn't think of one actual reason to hate him. She'd fallen in love with him, and knew they'd fall deeper in the years to come.

And she was right.

After the wedding, Calypso took time out of her daily duties as queen to help Leo with his speech and writing. Within a few months, he was talking nonstop. It annoyed Piper (who had fallen hard for Sir Jason) but Calypso could still silence her new husband with a kiss or two.

Leo began to make toys after the wedding. If he made one he liked, he'd keep it. Otherwise, once it was done, he'd send the toy to a child in need. He made trips out to the kingdom to donate his toys and make sure every child could be taken care of. Calypso smiled every time he got excited to take a trip like that.

Hephaestus was offered a job as a royal blacksmith, but he solemnly declined, stating he wished to return to the village and live out his days there. He and Leo kept in touch.

Festus was now the kingdom's mascot and personal guard to the royal family. Wherever Leo went, Festus followed. If Leo was in the castle, Festus hunkered down in a cave not far off. His personal hoard had been generously donated to the palace treasury, considering the bronze beast never was very greedy. He liked the mortal kind of treasures, not the nonliving shiny kind.

After years of ruling alone, Leo was properly ascended to the throne at Calypso's request. He was still a child at heart, and even now he could feel overwhelmed at too many people in one room, but everyone in the kingdom loved him. He tended to the people's affairs while Calypso handled estate and finances.

Of course, another reason Leo was allowed to properly rule was because Queen Calypso had been expecting. Once she'd delivered, she could have easily said he could step down, but she wouldn't do that. Leo was perfect to rule, no matter how hard it had been to ease him back into society.

One morning, as Calypso rocked her twins, Prince Tulio and Princess Esperanza, to sleep, a pair of strong arms wrapped around her waist.

"Hello, Leo," she mumbled. "I thought you had to go deliver some toys."

The king smiled. "I will. I just wanted to say good-bye to the kids."

His accent was still there, though by now it was faint. Calypso was okay with that. It reminded her of her husband's humble beginnings, and it made her happy to see him so happy now.

Leo let go of his queen and bent over the rocking cradle. He kissed Tulio first. "Good-bye, son," he mumbled through Tulio's curls. "See you soon." He then moved to Esperanza and kissed her. "I love you, baby girl."

Both twins smiled in their sleep and shifted a little.

Leo smiled, placing some new toys next to the crib. He grinned up at Calypso. "The dolphin's for Espie," he explained. "And the dragon's for Tulio."

Calypso nodded and kissed him before he left. "I love you," she said happily.

Leo grinned. "I love you, too."

After he left, Calypso sighed happily. "How did that happen?" she wondered to herself. "How on earth did I fall for that childish, imp-faced, wild, dragon boy toymaker?"

She smiled, looking down at the twins, both of whom resembled their father (except for Tulio's mother-inherited-almond eyes). "Oh, that's right. Because he's a handsome, strong, sweet, understanding, and caring man…"

She kissed her twins and sat down in a rocking chair nearby, never dropping her smile, and certainly never letting go of her love for Leo.

* * *

**_A/N: Holy Hephaestus that was long... 10k words (not counting the A/Ns)! The longest One-Shot I've ever written._**

**_I hope it was enjoyable. That ending was rather blah for me, but I hope you guys liked it. I even added my OC Caleo babies :3 Yay me._**

**_Leo the toymaker...what an idea. He would so do that in fairy tale settings, as long as the blacksmith job is taken, at least lol_**

**_Yes, I realized that was a fast ending, too. I was on a time-limit, and I resigned to it being that way. I wanted a one-shot and the longer it got, the harder I had to resist splitting it up and not getting it done before V-day. I recognize that this was fast-paced (even if it was my longest chapter/one-shot), so please don't comment on that._**

**_And, finally, no: I will not be continuing this. It's solely a one-shot._**

**_Happy S.A.D/Valentine's Day, guys!_**


End file.
